Moonrose Saga
by Satanira
Summary: The rewritten, tweaked version of one of my very first forays into the world of otaku Senshi. Rated for violence, langauge, shonenai, implied shojoai, and adult concepts.
1. Chapter 1

She wasn't sure how long she'd been sitting there; half a day at least. She didn't fidget or complain or hum under her breath. She just sat there, still as a statue, waiting for her new guardian to come home.

She didn't expect him any time soon. He was important, her uncle, and served the queen directly. He couldn't be troubled to leave his duties for the sake of one little girl he'd seen maybe twice and never spoke to before. She was just his niece, an inconvenience at best, and she wouldn't dare think of herself as anything more.

The sound of footsteps coming up the narrow path from the street made her look up. She'd been told not to expect Uncle Zoicite until nightfall, and it was barely afternoon. But it wasn't her uncle looking down at her with a puzzled expression on his face.

Her observer was a strange man with long silvery-white hair and icy blue eyes. He looked like someone had drained half the color out of him, leaving just enough to suggest what had once been there, and he was pale inside his dark uniform.

She didn't speak; children never spoke unless asked a direct question. To do otherwise suggested disobedience and rebellion, neither of which was welcome here. She would not make a sound until he made one first.

"Who are you?" He asked finally.

"My name is Hissori, sir." She answered quietly, standing and bowing. Unlike other girls her young age, she wasn't wearing a dress, opting instead for jeans and a blouse, which made curtsying out of the question.

"What are you doing here?"

"I am waiting for General Zoicite, sir." Courtesy was always a good thing to practice, especially around adults, who might punish you for insolence if they thought you were being cheeky.

"Why would you be waiting for him?"

Deciding that it would be best to just explain everything up front, she took a deep breath and began. "My father has recently disappeared, sir, and my mother has been dead a long time. General Zoicite and my mother shared parents, so he is listed as my next-of-kin. Until I come of age or a more suitable home is found, I will be living under his care."

"Oh." The man said, his puzzled expression clearing. "In that case, you will be living with me, as well. Come inside."

* * *

One thought was uppermost in Kunzite's thoughts as he led the blond child into the small house he shared with Zoicite; where in the Negaverse were they going to _put_ her? It wasn't as if they had room to spare, with only one bedroom, one bathroom, the tiny living room, and a closet-sized study.

The girl seemed to have more brains than most of her apparent age group, as she immediately stowed her things under the coffee table and set about cleaning up the mess Zoicite had left in the living room last night.

"Hissori, can I trust you here by yourself?" He asked, wondering if maybe he sounded a bit harsh.

"I believe you can, sir." She said, pausing in her self-appointed chores. "If you would rather I remain outside while you are gone, I will do so."

"No, that's fine. You finish cleaning in here and make yourself something to eat." _I have a certain forgetful boyfriend to talk to.

* * *

_

"Was she coming today?"

"Apparently, Zoicite, since she's cleaning our living room." Kunzite said with a sigh.

"Really? That's nice of her. I guess I should go see how she's doing, shouldn't I?" Zoicite asked absently, still glued to his paperwork. "Then again, I kind of have work I have to do here..."

"When have you ever preferred work to anything?" Kunzite snorted, knowing his lover well enough to know what he was thinking. "You're just afraid of her."

"Am not!" Zoicite snapped, finally looking up from his desk. "I just... What the hell am I supposed to do with a kid, Kunzite? Do I look like the kind of man capable of raising a kid? What if I screw this up? I mean, sure, she's my sister's daughter, but why me?"

"Who was it told me not one week ago that I have to face what I'm afraid of or I'll never get anywhere?"

"Who would say a ridiculous thing like that?"

* * *

Hissori surveyed the living room with satisfaction. Clean as a new uniform, as her father would say. Everything was put away where it belonged, all of the garbage had been dealt with, and every flat surface was free of clutter and polished until it gleamed. Not bad for two hours' work.

The sound of the front door opening caught her attention, and she turned in time to see the bleached man and her uncle enter the small dwelling.

Despite the fact that she was certain no praise would come of her hard work, she waited in tense anticipation, hoping for just one kind word. There had been so few since her father had gone missing...

"Are we in the right house?" Her uncle asked after a moment's silence, turning to his companion.

"I told you she was cleaning." The man answered with a shrug.

"Yes, but you didn't say she was feild-daying the place."

"I didn't know she was."

"You're no fun, Kunzite." General Zoicite accused, making a face Hissori usually associated with boys younger than her. "So, kiddo, you must be Hissori."

"I am, sir." She said, bowing. Now she had a name to put to the pale man's face. Kunzite... wasn't that a mineral of some kind? Come to think of it, wasn't Zoicite, too?

"Aw! Kunzite, she called me 'sir'!" Zoicite exclaimed mournfully. "Do I really look that much like a sir?"

"Yes, sir." Hissori said, not realizing that the question wasn't directed at her.

"Kunzite, make her stop!"

"You're her uncle; you make her."

With a defeated sigh, Zoicite turned back to Hissori, and she thought she saw a glimmer of mirth in his eye. "Okay, Hissori. As long as it's just you, me, and Kunzite here, please don't call me sir. Deal?"

"Deal." Hissori said, chancing a shy smile. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad living here after all...

* * *

-Four Years Later-

* * *

"Uncle Zoicite, have you seen my backpack?" Hissori called, taking the stairs two at a time to the second floor. Only a year and a half ago, after more than two years in a janitor's closet posing as a bedroom, Hissori and her uncles had finally been granted larger housing, with four - count 'em, four - bedrooms, two bathrooms, a large den, and a yard. It still felt like they'd never have enough to fill it.

"It should be in the den!" Zoicite answered from somewhere on the ground floor. "Ask Kunzite!"

Hissori obediently peeled off her pre-set course and knocked loudly on her uncles' bedroom door. "Uncle Kunzite, are you up yet?" She called, wincing when he voice broke slightly. Puberty sucked.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah..." Came the muffled reply. "Five more minutes."

"No way!" Hissori retorted. "I'm coming in!" She opened the door and quickly closed it again, narrowly avoiding a pillow in the face. If nothing else, in her time here, she'd learned that General Kunzite was _not_ a morning person. "Uncle Kunzite, have you seen my backpack?"

"It's by the front door." Kunzite snapped, glaring blue death from under a tangled fringe of white bangs. "Now go away."

"You have to leave for work in half an hour." She informed him sternly. "And Uncle Zoicite says he's not waiting for you. I have to go to school now, so have a good day." Leaving the bedroom door open and the hallway light on, the 12-year-old turned on her heel and barreled back towards the stairs, praying she would make it to her first class on time.

* * *

"Made it!" Hissori exclaimed breathlessly, skidding to a halt next to her desk and plopping gracelessly onto the bare wooden chair. "Oof."

"Jeez, 'Sori, what did you do?" One of her classmates asked, grinning. "Run the whole way?"

"Just about." She panted, smiling. "Woke up early, too."

"Man, you're no fair." A girl with short forest green hair and luminous brown eyes pouted. "I want your body."

The slightly perverted response on the tip of Hissori's tongue died as the teacher stalked into the room, and the class rose to its collective feet to begin another day of learning.

* * *

"Hey, Hissori." A soft voice behind her said, and the bench shifted under her. "What's up?"

"Nothing, really." She replied, leaning against her companion's without looking up from her book. "Just doing my stupid Lit homework. You?"

"I had a test to make up in PCT. I swear, Proffesor Red's out to get me. You should have _seen_ her, wailing on me like I knew what I was doing!"

"It's not exactly her fault you can't find the pointy end of a sword without both hands and a map, Matt." She retorted, closing her book and smiling up at him. "But if you'd like, I could spar with you this afternoon. The Generals will be out all evening so you can't come inside, but I do have a yard."

"Would you, Hissori?" Matt was the only student in their school who called Hissori by her full name; to everyone else, she was just 'Sori. "You're the best."

"Not quite." She disagreed, kissing him gently on the cheek after a quick check for watchers. "But I'm pretty damn close."

Although they were only twelve and had known each other less than a year, Hissori and Matt already knew that they were going to be together forever. If the queen would allow it, they would even get married when they came of age. Hissori was sure that she would never have a life that Matt wasn't an integral part of, and had said as much to her uncles once. The rapid-fire third degree that had resulted from the casual statement had frightened her, and she never brought it up again.

A loud beeping noise broke them apart, signaling the end of free period.

"Well, I'm off to go get nearly killed." Matt said with a sigh, standing and offering Hissori his hand.

"And I'll go die of boredom." She responded, accepting the aid up with a smile. "See you tonight?"

"See you tonight."

* * *

Hissori waited impatiently on the front porch. Rules of the house stated that no boys were allowed inside if at least one of her uncles wasn't home, even if he was just walking through to the backyard, so she'd have to take Matt around the house when he showed up.

After nearly an hour of waiting, Hissori gave up and went inside, rubbing her thumb along the ring on her right hand. It had been a present from Matt, and the smooth silver band felt good against the pad of her thumb. She always felt close to Matt when she touched it, and could sometimes even tell where he was or what he was doing if she concentrated.

She did so now, closing her eyes and picturing Matt in her mind, willing herself to _know_.

_Darkness._ It washed over her like a wave, making her stagger into the wall. Intellectually, she knew the hallway was brightly lit by four evenly spaced lamps, but she couldn't see anything. It was as if she'd been suddenly struck blind.

_Pain._ Another wave, this time of physical sensation, crashed down, and her left arm felt like it was on fire. Her head began to pound, and she fought to suppress the pain, knowing it wasn't really hers.

_Where?_ She demanded as her vision slowly cleared and the ache in her arm faded. _Where are you?_

Another wave, this time of knowledge, swept her under. The school. The equipment shed behind the practice field.

She was halfway down the street before she even realized she'd moved.

* * *

_Fractured forearm… Concussion… Blood loss… shock… overexposure…Dislocated kneecap… _

Hissori listened numbly as the dignified medic listed Matt's various injuries and complications, absently playing with the ring on her right hand. She was vaguely aware of Matt's parents, listening intently to the medic, and of the other people in the waiting room around her, but she took no real notice.

"Hissori."

She snapped back to attention, surprised to discover that the medic was gone, and Matt's father was standing over her, waiting for an answer.

"S-sir?" She managed, blinking and trying to order her thoughts.

"Hissori, we just want to thank you." Matt's mother interrupted. "The medics say that another hour in that shed, and he would have been beyond saving. If you hadn't found him, my little boy would be-"

She never finished that sentence, due to the arrival of a breathless, anxious Zoicite.

"Hissori," The General panted, leaning against a handy wall, "the next time you leave a message saying you're at the hospital, at least have the wit to say you're not the one hurt, will you? Kunzite very nearly had a heart attack!"

"F-forgive me, Uncle Zoicite." Hissori apologized. "I was distraught at the time."

"Well, you're all right, so I'll let it pass this once." Zoicite conceded before shifting his attention to Matt's parents. "I trust your son is going to pull through?"

"Yes, sir." Matt's father, like Hissori's birth parents, was a captain, and one of Beryl's Generals showing concern for his offspring had the man off balance. "Your Hissori found him in time, sir, so we won't loose him. She's done us a great service, sir, really she has. If there's any way to repay you, sir-"

"That's quite all right, Captain. About the only thing Hissori needs right now is rest, so I'll be taking her home now. Come on, Hissori."

* * *

- Four Years Later -

* * *

"Guard duty?" Hissori repeated incredulously. "Why would students have to serve guard duty?"

"Because the soldiers that would normally serve are being sent to the front lines." Kunzite explained. "It becomes official tomorrow, but we thought we should warn you."

"Which years?" She asked dazedly, sinking into her chair.

"Fifth and sixth." Zoicite said. "Listen to me, Hissori- you need to keep your classmates under control. If anyone can keep them from going off when Queen Beryl makes the announcement, it's you and Matt."

"_Queen Beryl's_ going to announce it? As in actually go to the school and announce it? She's never done that!"

"Aren't you glad we let her get it all out now instead of while the queen's watching?" Kunzite asked idly, flicking a grain of rice in Hissori's general direction.

"Oh, my, yes." Zoicite agreed, standing up to clear the table. "Much as Beryl would _love_ the theatrics, I'm kind of fond of our little niece here."

"I get it." Hissori said with a slightly miffed sigh. "I'll keep a tight rein on my mouth when the queen comes to visit, and I'll try to keep my classmates from going off."

"Good girl!" Zoicite said with a fond smile. "Now go do your homework."

* * *

_And what the hell? Let's stop there and post this chapter. I'll work on chapter two tomorrow. Review? Pretty please?_


	2. Chapter 2

To Flufflybunny- Zoi not with his Kunzite? Blasphemy! How dare they? Actually, I'm guilty of that particular blasphemy. Please don't hurt me. Glad you liked it, by-the-by.

* * *

"Matt, we've got a problem."

Matt, who'd been halfway in the door of his tactics class, turned in midstep and removed himself from the flow of traffic.

"The problem, and quickly; I'm not exactly in good graces with my teachers right now."

"Matt, _Queen Beryl_ is coming to the school today!" Hissori hissed, pulling Matt further from the student body at large. "My uncles told me last night, and they would know! What am I gonna do?"

"Please tell me you're joking."

"I'm not, Matt! This is very, very, serious! Like _dead_ serious, serious! Now _what am I gonna do?_"

"Well, first, _you're_ going to calm down. Then _we're_ going to come up with as many ways to keep our classmates under control as we can. Okay?"

"Where would I be without you?" Hissori asked with a relieved sigh, already calming down. "Let's get scheming."

* * *

With the aid of the school's gossip pool, Matt and Hissori managed to get word out to most of the fifth and sixth years about the surprise assembly. They'd been deliberately vague, saying only that someone very important was going to be announcing something very unpleasant and left it at that, not that any more was needed. By the time the classes were ordered to the meeting hall, most everyone involved was expecting the worst and coming up with ways to cope.

From her place near the front of the hall, Hissori watched the raised platform with growing apprehension. She had every faith in the sixth years; they'd be happy to be given the kind of responsibility they thought they deserved. The fifth years, however, all expected another full year of childhood freedom before settling into the life of a common soldier, and some of them might not be able to control their responses.

Just when Hissori felt ready to burst, she caught sight of Kunzite. Her uncle-elect sent her a reassuring smile when he was sure no one was looking, and she calmed down a bit. Then Queen Beryl stalked into view, and Hissori swore her heart was going to give out on her.

The tenseness in the hall doubled as the ruler of the Negaverse glared indiscriminately at the students. She was much taller than Hissori had pictured her, with vampire-pale skin, wild red hair, and a face that probably hadn't smiled in years. Quite frankly, she scared the living daylights out of Hissori.

She saluted with the other students, wishing she knew where Matt was. She really needed his calming influence right then.

_Calm down, girl._ She ordered herself sternly, trying her best to slow her heart and still listen to Queen Beryl's announcement. _This is no biggie. You can handle this. It's just like war; these are your marching orders. _You've_ just gotta carry 'em out._

Thinking in terms of war helped a little, and she managed to endure the meeting without giving herself away. Once clear of the meeting hall, she broke ranks and all but ran home.

* * *

Guard duty turned out to be less of a trial than Hissori had expected.

The students were assigned to single cells, which meant there was little to no moving involved, and it didn't cut into study time too much.

The prisoner Hissori was assigned to didn't seem like much. She was short, skinny, and forgettable, with fair skin, brown hair, and brown eyes. Her name was Aura, which kind of made up for her plain appearance, and her personality shone. Not only that, but she had a knack for teaching literature, something Hissori took shameless advantage of.

"I hate reading." Hissori growled in frustration, seriously contemplating shredding her stupid book.

"That's because you're a visual learner." Aura said with a laugh. "It's really not that hard; you're only summarizing."

"But I'm going to be a soldier, not a scholar!" Hissori protested. "Why do I have to know how to summarize?"

Aura thought for a moment, then grinned. "Say you're on the battlefield, okay? You've got a lot happening, but your superiors aren't really going to care about the details; they'll be after a quick overview of what's going on. A summary."

"Good point." Hissori agreed grudgingly. "But why are they making me read boring history and philosophy? Why not war reports?"

"Because the war reports are already summarized?" Aura suggested archly. "Just put up with it until you're out of school, and you'll have all the war reports you can handle."

"I hate you." Hissori grumbled, returning to her homework with a slightly more optimistic attitude.

* * *

"Uncle Zoicite!" Hissori called up the stairs, trying to put her other earring in without killing herself. "Uncle Zoicite, Matt's here! I gotta run!"

"Be good, you two!" Zoicite called back by way of acknowledgement. "Don't do anything I wouldn't!"

"Whatever! Bye, Uncle K!" Without waiting for another response, Hissori headed out the front door, depositing her earring on the hall table as she passed. Whoever said you needed both earrings to look nice?

"Ready to go?" Matt asked with an understanding smile.

"Like you wouldn't believe." She assured him. "Midterms are over, and I'm gonna party like we don't still have half a year to go."

"Mm. And our sixth year still ahead of us."

"_Please _don't remind me." Hissori groaned, covering her face with her hands. "Sometimes, I think school's never going to end. I never thought being a soldier required so much _knowledge_!"

"Aw, poor Hissori," Matt teased, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and kissing the top of her head. "How about we get to the partying and forget all about learning, just for tonight?"

"Let's."

* * *

"Uncle K, you're gonna be late!" Hissori yelled up the stairs. "And Papa's left already, so don't count on him to wake you up again! I've gotta jet!"

Whatever reply Kunzite made was too muffled for her to make out before she was out the door, holding her bag between her teeth and pulling on her jacket. She'd been up late studying for her stupid Lit. test, and barely managed to wake up in time for school. Not only that, but she had guard duty first thing today, instead of PCT, and there'd be Hell to pay if she were late for _that_.

* * *

By some freak accident of good fortune, Hissori skidded into her post half a breath ahead of the supervising sixth year. The guy must have seen how worn out she was, because he let her get away with a half-assed salute and the disarray her mad dash had put her uniform in. A slightly harder soul would have felt justified in reporting her for her disgraceful condition, and Hissori thanked the Negaforce for small favors.

"Wake up late?" Aura asked, sounding amused, once Hissori's superior was gone.

"Yes," Hissori said, digging her hateful Lit book out of her bag with a sigh. "I've got a test. They're teaching me too much."

It was a simple, harmless statement, one that could have been a typical complaint about the sheer amount of work any student finds dumped on them. That was, in fact, Hissori's intent in saying it, but they both knew that it also had a deeper, more dangerous meaning.

"When you learn too much, you think too much," Aura said quietly. "What have you been thinking about, young Hissori?"

Almost against her will, Hissori spoke the thoughts that had lately begun to plague her, thoughts that were without a doubt treasonous.

"Queen Beryl. I'm thinking… she's wrong. I'm thinking that maybe the White Moon owes us nothing. That we have no right to the war we're preparing for. Mostly that a lot of the time, I wish I was anywhere but here."

"Heavy thinking, indeed," Aura said. "Heavy thinking, yes, but worthy. You are no ordinary girl, Hissori, and may the Crystal forgive me, but I trust you. I'll give you a secret for a secret, my little friend, and my secret is this: I am no ordinary soldier. I am a Senshi, one loyal to the White Moon. Had I not been captured, I would be beside the Moon Princess, protecting her this very moment."

They were in the same boat, Hissori realized; harboring secrets that, if discovered, would mean death or worse. There were terrible things done to traitors, and far worse things reserved for Senshi, those women of incredible power that stood between Queen Beryl and her objective.

"Hissori, my mission is unfulfilled," Aura said, her voice so soft it was nearly inaudible. "I can't complete it. But you can, if you trust me as much as I trust you,"

"How?" Hissori asked in spite of herself, entertaining the beyond treasonous thought that she would like to prove herself worthy of Aura's trust.

"Leave this place," Aura told her. "Find the Moon Princess. Find her Senshi. Protect them from Queen Beryl."

"How? I'm no Senshi, with magic powers. I'm not even a soldier! I'm just an ordinary girl!"

"I can make you a Senshi, give you my power. I wouldn't ask the impossible of you, Hissori."

"I…" Hissori hesitated, thinking furiously. She wanted to do this, wanted to complete Aura's mission. She wanted to stop Queen Beryl's plans, to save those who might be innocent from her wrath. But to leave? Could she really leave the Negaverse, abandon her uncles and friends? Abandon Matt? Even if she resolved to leave, would she be able to go through with it? "I… I'll do it,"

Aura's face lit up, transforming for an instant into something far lovelier than anything Hissori had ever seen.

"Give me your power, Aura, and I'll finish this for you, I swear," Hissori promised.

"Quickly, then," Aura said, motioning for Hissori to come closer.

Aura placed the tips of her middle and index fingers on Hissori's forehead, between her eyes, and Hissori felt something… shift. It was hard to describe, like her mind was moving, rearranging itself to accommodate something new within it. It was also like the unsettling feeling she got right before someone kicked her in the gut, when she knew the blow was coming and how much it would hurt but before it actually connected. She closed her eyes, trying to quiet the upheaval in her head.

Then it was over, as suddenly as it had begun, and Aura's fingers left her head.

"That was weird," Hissori said, trying to keep her voice from shaking. There was no answer, and Hissori opened her eyes.

Aura appeared to be unconscious, slumped in what had to be a supremely uncomfortable position. Her head hung at an odd angle, as if her neck was suddenly made of rubber, and it didn't look like she was breathing.

* * *

Aura was dead. That much Hissori knew for sure as she left her post in silent shock. It was the middle of her watch, and her replacement wasn't due for a full two hours. Any other day, she would have stayed, seeing her duty through. Today, though, she couldn't have cared less about her duty. She _had_ no duty here anymore. She no longer belonged. She had to leave.

Somehow, she found herself outside the prison complex. She stopped for a moment, wondering how she'd gotten there, before she started walking again. She stumbled once and began to run. She ran away from the prison, from Aura's body, from her betrayal of everything she knew, to the only safe place she could think of.

Home.

At this time, everyone was at work, or performing their daily tasks. Soldiers were at their posts, children were at school, and those spouses that were not also soldiers were cleaning or shopping or at some other important task. Nobody saw her running down her street, stumbling up the stairs, and falling against the door. Nobody saw her fumble her key out of her pocket, or how her hands shook as she tried to fit the key in the lock and turn it.

At last, near tears, she got the door open and flew inside, closing it behind her. She hesitated for a moment, then left it unlocked, climbing the stairs to her room.

She had only a few short hours before people would be coming home for their noon break and those too young for specialized training were released from school. She had to pack her things and be gone by then, or someone was sure to see her, stop her.

In her room, she stopped, struck by a paralyzing indecision. What should she take? Her clothes? Her weapons? Would she need things to sell in exchanged for money? Would she need food? Could she take any of her keepsakes?

Unconsciously, she rubbed her thumb against the ring Matt had given her, and felt herself calming down.

Clothing, of course, would have to come. Only the functional clothing; none of the party outfits or dress uniforms, and none of the heavy or fancy accessories. A few small weapons might be advisable, but her sword would have to stay here. She didn't know what kind of reaction it would receive where she was going. Anything small and portable she could sell was packed; she had no money, and would probably need it. She could even afford to bring a few keepsakes, like photos and her journal.

She hesitated over the array of gifts on her dresser, especially to the small blue stuffed bear her father had given her for her sixth birthday. It was all she had left of him, and it was plenty small enough to shove in a corner of her bag, but it was unessential, and she might need the space for something else.

After a moment, she added the battered toy to her bag. She couldn't bear the thought of what might happen to it if she left it here.

Food. She'd need some food, at least. She had no idea when she'd be able to buy food or find it. She could only take nonperishables or vacuum-sealed things, though.

She placed her hand over her heart, trying to calm herself further, and felt something under her shirt. It was a necklace, one she hadn't been wearing when she left this morning. She pulled it off over her head to examine it and nearly dropped it.

She knew, with unshakable conviction, that this necklace had been Aura's. When Aura had passed on her power, this necklace had come with it.

Almost reverently, Hissori slipped it back over her head and tucked it under her shirt again before taking her bag down to the kitchen and raiding for provisions.

* * *

_Chapter two's done! Yay!_

_The more I work on this story, the more I love it. I think it may be one of my best yet._


	3. Chapter 3

To G B Keeper- Thank you. I'm just glad somebody's enjoying the story so far.

* * *

Hissori debated staying in the house until the noon break. She'd be less conspicuous in the flood of people walking the streets then, and security within the city was more than halved while guards left to eat or spend a few precious moments with their families. But if anyone realized she was missing before then, they'd surely check the house first. It was a risk either way, but she finally decided to leave.

She left a note for her uncles, a simple _I'm sorry, I love you, don't follow me_. She wanted to write one for Matt, too, but Matt's mother worked nights in the power plants and would be home right now. She couldn't risk being caught before she left the city. She could only hope Matt would understand, in the soothing, gentle way he understood everything else about her.

Taking her bag, Hissori slipped out the back door and across the yard. There was a narrow alley behind the yard, used for city maintenance and an emergency escape route. It led all the way to the city walls, where it turned into a secure tunnel that extended beyond the wall and into the farmland surrounding the city. From there, a fast hour's walk would take her past the farms and into the forest.

Aura's power had come with an instinctive knowledge of how to use it, and among her powers was the ability to transport herself to within several miles of the Moon Princess. Even this far away, she could feel the pull of that sacred blood, calling her to it as a trumpet calls soldiers to battle.

* * *

Hissori made it to her destination without mishap. She was standing under a tree, looking out over a park. She knew it was a park, although she'd never been to the single one in the city. _That_ park was reserved for Queen Beryl and her court. No lowly student would have been permitted to set foot in it. Those that dared without permission were without exception never seen or heard from again.

It was more beautiful than Hissori had ever imagined a park could be. Unlike the city where she'd lived her entire life until now, everything was green and growing, left mostly to the will of Nature. The paths wandered aimlessly around patches of flowers and gentle hills. Trees seemed to have been planted just wherever, instead of laid out in relentlessly military rows. She found the borderline chaos oddly appealing.

Hissori closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, breathing in air far cleaner than any she'd known before. She'd never left the city, after all; she'd grown up surrounded by factories, power plants, forges, and prisons. Compared to this place, she'd been living in a perpetual cloud of smog all her life.

She opened her eyes in time to see a family walk by, a young boy with his parents. While she was familiar with the concept of 'family,' there was a closeness about this one, a unity and togetherness that could never have been achieved in the Negaverse, and Hissori felt a sudden pang of envy. This glimpse of peaceful existence was enough to show her what she would never have. She and her uncles would never be able to walk happily through a park, laughing and talking with one another like equals. Zoicite would never dare hug her in public, or show affection towards Kunzite. It was supremely unfair.

She turned away, surprised to find angry tears burning in her eyes. She _knew_ life wasn't fair. It had never been, and it never would be. She knew it, deep in her bones, yet she still chose to believe that it could be fair.

_You're only making it harder on yourself,_ She thought sternly. _Stop acting like a baby and do what you came here for._

She began to walk away, but a scream stopped her in her tracks. A woman's scream- the mother. Hissori turned in time to see what could only be a creation of the Negaverse; a vaguely human, part animal thing with claws and fangs and glowing eyes fixed hungrily on the little boy.

Even as her mind refused to register what was about to happen, she moved, placing herself between the monster and its prey. She had no weapon on her but a few small knives, and there was nothing handy but her new power. She touched her fingertips to Aura's necklace – she could have sworn it was _under_ her shirt, not on top of it – and yelled an alien phrase that, once spoken, seemed as familiar as her own name.

"_Moonrose Power!_"

Red and blue flashed before her, swallowing reality and reshaping it a million times in the space it took to blink. She felt flames against her skin, but they did not burn her. She felt water flow around her, but it did not drown her. Instead, the two opposing elements placed themselves at her command, merging and reforming into power.

It was over in an instant, and she could feel pure power coursing through her. She had changed drastically in that instant, and she knew how to use the change.

She held one hand out in front of her, fingers spread, palm down, and yelled 'Goal Shot!' A black and blue disc of energy appeared under her palm, spinning rapidly. She grabbed it and threw it like a shot put; it sailed through the air and slammed into the thing's stomach. It doubled over in pain, snarling.

Moonrose turned to the civilians, who stood in a frozen huddle behind her.

"What the hell are you waiting for, an engraved invitation?" She demanded. "Get the hell out of here!"

They did, and Moonrose refocused on the monster. It had recovered and was rushing at her. If it wanted physical combat, then that was exactly what it was going to get. She was top of her class in PCT, and better than some sixth years.

She didn't get to prove that to the monster, however; a ball of fire crashed into it instead.

"Hey, Negatrash!" A voice exclaimed. "You think you can come into our peaceful park and attack innocent people?"

Moonrose turned again, this time to stare at three teenage girls in outfits similar to her own. One was dressed all in blue, one in red and purple, and one in blue and red. The one in blue and red was the one making speeches.

"We won't allow this kind of behavior!" The speaker said, posing dramatically. "For love and justice, I'm Sailor Moon, and in the name of the moon, I'll punish you!"

The girl in red introduced herself as Sailor Mars, the one in blue as Sailor Mercury, while Moonrose stood by in silent astonishment. Here they were, not ten feet away from a monster that was obviously planning to seriously hurt if not kill them, and they were making _speeches_?

_I do believe these three are morons._

"Moon Tiara Magic!" Sailor Moon exclaimed, removing her tiara and lobbing it at the monster like a Frisbee. It tore the thing neatly in two, destroying it.

"And it wasn't possible to do that without the speech?" Moonrose asked without thinking. "It's a wonder all three of you aren't dead."

"Who are you?" Mars demanded suspiciously. She had the prettiest violet eyes.

"No one of consequence," Moonrose said with a shrug, turning and walking away. "I'll see you later; I've got a job to do."

* * *

Hissori wandered the park for another hour or so. She could feel the pull of the Moon Princess nearby, but the harder she tried to pinpoint an exact location, the harder it became to feel even an approximate one, so she finally gave up in the interest of food.

She settled under a beautiful tree with long, thin branches that formed a kind of natural curtain and opened her bag. She had some snacks in there she could eat while she tried to work out a place to stay the night.

She had graduated her SCC – Survival under Combat Conditions – course two months ago, so she'd have no problem living anywhere for now. If the nights got as cold here as they did in the Negaverse, though, she'd have to steal some blankets. Thievery raised the likelihood of her being discovered and captured, and she'd rather find some way to keep warm honestly.

Hissori leaned back against the tree and closed her eyes, letting her mind drift where it wanted. Judging by the position of the sun, she had several hours until nightfall.

* * *

Makoto didn't normally bother other people. She preferred to ignore them, more often than not. In fact, she wasn't entirely sure what prompted her to bother this one girl. It could have been the fact that she looked out of place, or that she was lying under a willow tree and might have collapsed there.

"Hey, are you okay?" Makoto asked, kneeling next to the girl and shaking her gently.

"Mmm," The girl answered, and the next thing Makoto knew, she was pinned against the tree.

Not wanting to hurt her, Makoto rolled, pinning the girl against the ground, and shook her once. Hard.

"What the-" The girl looked confused, confirming Makoto's guess that she'd been fighting on instinct. "Who the hell- what happened?"

"You attacked me," Makoto told her calmly, letting go and backing up. "I was trying to wake you up."

"Oh," The girl sat up and shook her head so that her blonde braid swung ponderously from side to side. "I apologize, then; thank you for waking me."

"No problem," Makoto said, studying the girl closely. Her hair must be incredibly long, since her braid trailed in a loose coil on the ground next to her, and her eyes were pale pink, like _sakura_ petals. Her clothing, though obviously not a uniform, nonetheless gave the _impression_ of being a uniform, all of it a drab shade of grey that didn't suit her in the least. "It's getting late; you should be going home. I'll walk you, if you like."

"I'm not going- I mean… I have nowhere to stay as of yet." The girl said, somewhat waspishly. "I've only just arrived in the area."

"Well, do you know anyone who can let you sleep at their place?" Makoto asked. "It's against the law to sleep in the park, you know."

Judging from her expression, she hadn't known, but it was no big surprise. "I know no one," She said, frowning thoughtfully. "And I don't know if I can afford temporary lodgings."

"If that's the case, would you like to crash at my place, just for tonight?" Makoto offered. For some reason, it didn't bother her that she didn't even know this girl's name.

Either the blonde was slightly paranoid, or she'd never been shown kindness by a stranger before. Her face lit up with wonder for a moment, and she seemed a bit awed.

"Are you certain you wouldn't mind a stranger in your home?" She asked. "I'm Hissori, by the way."

"Makoto," Makoto replied, shaking hands briefly. "Kino Makoto. Nice to meet you, Hissori."

* * *

Hissori marveled at her sudden fortune as she followed Makoto out of the park. To think that there were people who would gladly offer a complete stranger shelter! And to think that she'd meet one such person before she'd been here a full day! Such kindness very nearly brought tears to Hissori's eyes.

Makoto talked as they walked, pointing out buildings she identified as restaurants, cafés, stores, and arcades. Stores Hissori understood, but she had no idea what a café was, or an arcade. From Makoto's comments, she at least gleaned that restaurants sold prepared food, like the school mess hall. She wondered if the food restaurants served was as bad as the mess hall's.

They didn't have far to go, thankfully. After the fight and all the walking she'd done, she was tired. Never mind the nap she'd taken; sleeping on the ground with no padding underneath you could hardly be termed _restful_.

Makoto apparently lived alone, and had only recently moved to the area; there were still boxes piled in the corners, and next to no furniture. Everything was clean, though. Makoto probably kept a neat house under any circumstance, if Hissori was any judge.

"I don't have an extra futon," Makoto said apologetically. "I have a few extra blankets you can use, though; that should work for tonight,"

"That will suffice," Hissori said absently, having discovered another minor difference between this place and the Negaverse. It would seem that people kept plants indoors here, since Makoto's small residence was practically drowning in greenery. There was a wide variety, and most of them were blooming, painting the room in vibrant splashes of yellow, pink, white, and blue.

"Go ahead and put your things over there," Makoto said, waving towards a relatively empty wall. "I'll make us some dinner while you get settled, okay?"

"Okay," Hissori agreed, dropping her pack gratefully. "Thank you,"

Makoto, halfway into the kitchen, stopped to blink cluelessly at her. "For what?"

"… Nothing,"

* * *

_Review, please!_

_I am such a review whore..._


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